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[QUOTE]Originally posted by AOIIBrandi
Has anyone ever heard of a hotel called The Connaught? It's in Mayfair, reasonable by what we are looking at, and expedia rates it 5 stars (I am aware the standards are different there).
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The Connaught is one of the grand old London hotels and one of the most expensive. Double check prices as you might be in for a surprise. It is really excellent but very pricy.
You should have dinner at Rules Restaurant for traditional and great English cooking. I generally get the smoked pheasant with pear chutney followed by vennison with a port glaze, then one of their traditional steamed puddings. Afterwards walk over to Covent Garden (one block away) and go to the Crusting Pipe for stilton and vintage port. As a seafood alternative Rules does excellent Irish oysters and fillet of wild Salmon. They have a very reasonable pre theatre dinner if you order by NLT six PM and afterwards they do regular dinners at full price. This is one of the very best English restaurants. You might also consider Simpsons in the Strand. Fantastic English roast beef carved from the trolly at tableside.
I would suggest lunch at The Old Bank Ale and Pie Shop right next to the Royal Courts of Justice. Around the corner on Chancery Lane there are two or three very good restaurants.
Afternoon tea is great fun for a visitor and most of the major hotels and Harrod's restaurant do these daily. Check ahead to see if reservations are needed.
In Mayfair you might check out The Red Lion Pub or the Audley, both good pubs and serve good lunches.
If your schedule permits take a day trip to Oxford. Do the walking tour (rent a student guide outside the University Church of St Mary's on the High street).
Pick up a good Guide Book to England and perhaps a London specific one as well. Fodor's is good and there are a bunch of others.
Depending on how much time you have you might want to hit the Selfriges food hall (or Harrod's) and pack a gourmet picknic lunch, a bottle of Champagne, and kick back in Hyde Park, Green Park, the Embankment, or any of the many other places. When you take the tour bus (highly recommended) you can pick out the places you want to concentrate on including where an al fresco or riparian lunch might be fun.
I went to school in the UK and got an MA there while on active duty right out of college. Please PM me if I can be of help in planning this trip.
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